Deep Creek Middle School advances in Samsung’s $2 million contest

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CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Deep Creek Middle School was named one of the 255 state finalist in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest.

The contest is a program that helps encourage students to solve issues in their community through using classroom skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM), says Samsung.

The Chesapeake School District says that 8th graders in the classes of teachers Paula Labbe and Jonathan Neel were chosen based on their proposal to use STEAM skills to address the health of oysters in the Chesapeake Bay.

The students project centered around using a salinity monitor and developing interventions to to help prevent the spread of parasite infected oysters in the Chesapeake Bay.

Labbe and Neel will win a Samsung Chromebook to use in their classroom, after becoming one of the five state finalist. Deep Creek Middle School will now have the opportunity to advance in the competition for additional classroom technology prizes.

Teachers and students at Deep Creek Middle School are now gearing up for the contest by outlining a plan on how to execute the next project they will be doing. If the school becomes the Virginia State Winner, it will receive a $25,000 Samsung technology package.

10 national finalist will be selected from the state winners, which will be narrowed down to three finalist from there.

If Deep Creek Middle School makes in to the top 10 finalist they would win an additional $50,000 Samsung technology package. If the 8th graders become one of the top three finalist, a 150,000 Samsung technology package will be granted to the students and teachers.